Lomachenko Looks At Linares As Legacy Fight

Vasyl Lomachenko feels that he’s not getting the respect and acclaim that he deserves. Heading into his 12th professional fight, the two time Olympic gold medalist has won world titles in two weight classes, and looks to win his third against Jorge Linares.

Lomachenko returns to Madison Square Garden, where in his last fight against Guillermo Rigondeaux, would be the fourth fight in a row where his opponent would throw in the towel. That fact weighs heavily on Lomachenko heading into May 12th.

Asked about that by The Guardian, Lomachenko was blunt, “I’ll be honest, I’m getting a bit frustrated. Every fighter thinks about their legacy and I’m not any different.”

“I got frustrated at the ending of the Rigondeaux fight. I didn’t get an opportunity to finish what I had started and that’s hard.”

Lomachenko is excited for the challenges being presented by Linares, claiming that he has all the tools for a dangerous opponent.

“Linares is a very dangerous fight. I consider him a very good fighter. He has speed, coordination and, most crucially, a great boxing IQ,” said the two time Olympian.

“He’s on the very top level and he’s the kind of fighter I really want to face if I expect to put my name in the history of boxing.”

If Lomachenko is able to take the win over Golden Boy’s Linares, he may get the chance to face Manny Pacquiao, who wanted a crack at Lomachenko. Back in January, Pacquiao claimed there were negotiations for a fight between the two, while Lomachenko’s management refuted the idea claiming they wanted “active champions.”